As summer approaches, bringing with it big changes in the life of our family, I find myself feeling out of sorts. I am graduating from my MFA program, and I don't know what's next in my writing life. I will no longer spend long days reading books with a critical eye and writing papers based on them. ... Read More about How to Navigate a Season of Endings
Discovering Ourselves in the Face of a Stranger
We noticed a small knot of locals—a group of elderly men sitting together on a bench nearby, chatting in Italian, laughing heartily at jokes that escaped us. My husband and I stood in silence, eavesdropping, while water lapped against the wood dock and the late afternoon sun warmed our skin. Then ... Read More about Discovering Ourselves in the Face of a Stranger
What the Garden Teaches Us About Slow Growth
***I spent some time in the blog archives recently and discovered this post on growth and hope and belonging. I thought it was worth revisiting this spring as I wait for my garden and a few quiet corners of my life to bloom. ....... We have a ridiculous number of flower beds around our house, ... Read More about What the Garden Teaches Us About Slow Growth
Easter: On Resurrection and Ruination
The three of us sat on stiff bleachers with maroon banners hanging over our heads, surrounded by thousands of fellow parents and our soon-to-be college freshmen. The university's band played a song of celebration a few feet away, and I smiled as I watched the drummers beat out their joy at playing ... Read More about Easter: On Resurrection and Ruination
How to Face a Fork in the Road
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." ~Robert Frost We fanned the college materials across the kitchen table. Competing school colors and fresh young faces stared up at us, offering an invitation to a future full of ... Read More about How to Face a Fork in the Road
When Small Talk Isn’t So Small After All
The vets staying at the Veterans Hospital in town hang out at the local strip mall. We see them every time we stop for milk and a five dollar bunch of flowers. Often, there will be one or two vets smoking on the corner, leaning heavy into a cane or crutch. They call to one another across donuts and ... Read More about When Small Talk Isn’t So Small After All
